NL West

Now Commenting On:

Reds, Sox turn back clock with jerseys

Reds, Sox turn back clock with jerseys

Email

Print

By Steve Gartner
/
MLB.com |

CINCINNATI -- Fans watching the Reds and White Sox players take the field during Saturday's Gillette Civil Rights Game might have done a double take.

Both teams wore uniforms from the 1964 season to honor the Civil Rights movement. That year, the Civil Rights Act went into effect to outlaw racial segregation in schools, public places and places of employment.

The Reds wore white vests with red stripes and red shirts underneath. Players' names were located under the numbers on the backs of the jerseys.

"I think throwbacks are awesome," Reds outfielder Chris Dickerson said. "Everybody gets to experience some nostalgia, and you can feel the authenticity of 1964 and the era depending on how you want to wear your uniform."

Reds pitcher Nick Masset also enjoyed the trip into the past.

"We like to represent the old age and the way it was," Masset said. "It felt good."

The White Sox wore light blue uniforms with black numbers located on the back and on the right sleeve.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen certainly was a fan of his team's choice of uniforms.

"The uniforms are awesome," Guillen said. "I love them. They remind me back of the 80's, when everyone was wearing blues. There would be a lot of people interested in the color of the uniform."

Guillen said he wouldn't mind his club wearing the throwback uniforms more often.

"I've already had about 20 requests for this uniform, to make sure I keep something for this game," he said.

The last time the Reds wore the throwback jerseys was during the 2007 season in Pittsburgh and in Cleveland.

For Dickerson, this was his first time enjoying throwback uniforms. The decision to wear jerseys from 1964 was just another exciting feature of a historic day.

"It was a little change in style, but it's always great to enjoy baseball and the sign of the times with the cutoffs and how the uniforms have changed," Dickerson said. "It's an exciting thing for everybody."

Steve Gartner is an associate reporter for MLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.